END THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF GAMBLING ON TELEVISION

20/01/2014

Every single day, late in the evening, two of our five terrestrial channels (Channel 5 and ITV) run programmes (lasting for two hours or more) encouraging viewers to gamble. It is shameful that our government is conniving with this. Gambling is a most serious addiction, every bit as bad, or worse, than alcoholism. It often ruins family life, drives people to misery, destitution and homelessness, and sometimes to suicide.

The television programmes are especially pernicious because they will mostly be creating gambling addicts among those very people who can least afford it.

Furthermore, all gambling advertisements on television should also be abolished. Some of these advertisements are so pernicious that they actually offer a free amount of money to entice people to start a gambling addiction.

No civilised, serious, or ethical nation should allow such abominations.